Red Hawk Rising

by Peter William Hall

  The incident had brought people out of the cafe and the proprietor telephoned the police. The man on the ground was dead, his head at a dreadful angle and the face a mess. The ringing of a bell drawing nearer warned of the arrival of the police and the three RAF men leaned against the front of their truck and waited. The whole incident had taken less than three minutes. It was clear that the truck was to be hijacked with its contents while the men were in the cafe. Unfortunately for the hijackers, they didn’t know about Andy. One look at the situation and the police radioed for an ambulance. They then approached the three RAF men and asked them to explain what had happened. Other onlookers volunteered to give their statements also, all horrified at what had happened. Sadly, no-one had noted the registration number of the car as it sped away although they could describe it. Andy volunteered to telephone the RAF unit to advise what had happened and that they would be late in arriving. His unit would advise the MU to which the truck and crew were attached. They were held up for an hour before being allowed to proceed with their journey. Journalists had also arrived and tried to get an interview with the airmen but were refused. However, they took a picture of the airmen and got the story from the other cafe clients. During this time, a team of RAF policemen arrived to liaise with the local police. After they had talked with Andy and the two drivers they concentrated on the would-be hijacker and his identity.

  While all this was happening, Jamie had driven back to Parfleet St Peter, ostensibly to buy seafood. The local fishing boats had returned and their catches were being unloaded. Walmar was on the Penny Jane preparing to go out. His wife, Penny, was taking a hamper of food and flasks of hot drink onto the boat. Then Jamie saw Bill Enderby (as he knew him) and another man leave Walmar’s shed and head for the fishing boat. He pulled the small 35 mm camera out of his pocket and took a photo of them before he was spotted. After they climbed on board and their faces could be seen clearly, Jamie took another two photographs of the fishing boat and the people on board. He then took other pictures of the harbour and its buildings as though he was acting like a tourist. Yvonne came to the shop door and called out to him and he turned and took her photograph. She pulled a face, knowing she was not at her best for a photograph but then laughed in good humour. Jamie went across to the shop and went in to collect his order. On the deck of the Penny Jane, Berin, alias Enderby, had seen Jamie taking photos and suddenly felt wary. He might have to try and get the camera and film later but he could not do it now since they were about to cast off.

  In the fishmongers, Yvonne got Jamie’s order ready and told him that she would send an account. There were other customers in the shop so they had no time to talk. Jamie picked up the wooden box with the order in it and headed for the van. When he put it in the back he noticed an envelope with his name on it was in the box with the order. Jamie put the envelope in his pocket and climbed into the van and drove off.

  It was nearly 17.00 hours when the RAF truck with the launcher arrived at RAF West Sanby. The three men in the cab were relieved when they drove in through the gates. Driving round to the hangar, a crane was waiting to unload the launcher. Andy thanked the drivers for the lift and went over to the office to report to Flight Lieutenant Gaskin. The drivers were told that they would be staying overnight and when the unloading was finished, they would be shown the MT section and then taken to the domestic quarters. The JSTU would organise whatever they needed. The two men looked relieved. It had been a day to remember. Corporal Andy Hill completed his verbal report to Flight Lieutenant Gaskin and was told to go and relax. He was to do a written report in the morning even though it was Saturday. “Don’t worry, Corporal, everyone is working tomorrow morning,” said Gaskin. “Naturally, you’ll be asked about the incident by other members of the unit. Try and say as little as possible because there could well be an inquiry. You did well and it was fortuitous that you were on the truck but not everyone may see it that way. Okay, you had better go off duty and relax.”

  Andy came to attention, saluted and said, “Thank you, sir,” and turned and left the office. He headed for the domestic block and his room. Andy knew that he needed to get a report to Lutterworth and also talk to Jamie. Fortunately, the others hadn’t come back from the airfield and Andy was able to have a shower and quietly relax for a little while. He still felt sore over much of his body from the incident in the car park and concluded that he may have a few bruises by morning but was relieved that no bones were broken. Andy also realised that he had better telephone Alice before she read the newspaper accounts of what had happened. He decided to do that before going down to the village. There was a tramping of feet and doors opening and shutting along the corridor. The others were back from work. Andy decided to head down to the mess for the evening meal before he was bailed up by his friends.

  ***

  Out at sea, the Penny Jane and its crew had finished the fishing and were sailing to a pre-arranged reference point outside the three-mile limit. It was already dark and the riding lights were lit. When they reached the location, the anchor was dropped and they decided to eat the meal that Penny Walmar had prepared. It would be another hour before the transfer could take place. At 19.00 hours, Berin went and hung two red lights at the stern of the vessel. Shortly after that a light flashed from about fifty yards away. Walmar got his Aldis lamp and flashed the recognition code in reply. Soon there was the sound of bow-waves coming towards them and then they saw the phosphorescence of the waves below a large dark bulk. It came alongside almost silently, towering well above the fishing vessel. It was a Soviet submarine. ‘John Matheson’ called out a recognition statement and the right reply came back. Walmar and Berin threw ropes up for men to hold the vessel steady against the submarine while the transfer was made. At ‘Matheson’s’ request a rope came down to attach his metal case to and it was hauled up. He gave his thanks to Walmar and Berin and then climbed up the rungs on the side of the submarine. A moment later the ropes landed on the deck and the submarine pulled away. It was rapidly swallowed up in the night. Berin went aft and took down the two extra lights. They both went into the wheelhouse and Walmar set a course for Parfleet St Peter. They would have to wait until the tide was high enough for them to get into the harbour but that would be fine.

  At The Hound and Pheasant in West Sanby village, Jamie Rogerson was busy looking after the bar. He was thinking about two things; one was the letter he had received from Yvonne that afternoon and the other was about telephoning Andy Hill. Yvonne had expressed an interest in seeing more of Jamie and wanted to know his days off so they could meet. She had also given him a telephone number. He felt flattered but wondered about starting something that he didn’t expect to last long. As he thought about it in between serving customers and washing glasses, Andy walked in with Lance and Dan. They ordered their drinks and Jamie gave Andy a look that said they needed to talk. Andy inclined his head to say that he understood before going over to a table with Lance and Dan. They talked about arrangements for the following weekend. Outside the base they would not discuss the incidents of the last two days. It appeared that Lance and Dan had made their arrangements with Anne and Margaret respectively. Having been away, Andy hadn’t had the chance to do the same. He had written to Alice but had not received a reply. Andy said that he would telephone her. He wondered if it would be wise to be going away with recent events as they were. Andy had been told about the MLT being missing and then turning up a day later. It seemed suspicious to him. With the attempted hijack of the truck with the launcher he wondered what the next attempt would be. The missile and control unit were due to be delivered in the near future. Lance and Dan had started to argue over the English and Welsh rugby teams so Andy excused himself and went across to the bar to speak to Jamie. Being a Friday, the bar had a lot of customers and the hubbub of voices hid their conversation. Jamie told Andy of his new instructions and about a friend of Bill Enderby going onto Walmar’s fishing boat with a large metal case. He said that it could have photographic equipmen
t in it, as the explanation went, but it seemed unusual. “Buy a packet of crisps and I’ll give you a film under it that needs to be developed urgently and sent to Lutterworth. It will also be safer if I don’t have it,” said Jamie. Andy nodded and pulled some money out to pay for the crisps, sliding the film into his pocket with the change. They were interrupted as Jamie served a customer. When he came back, Andy told him to read the paper tomorrow. He expected that there would be something of interest to Jamie and what they were both doing.

  With that, Andy went back to the table and his friends. He told them he was going to telephone Alice and went to the public telephone in the corridor. When he got through to the Waltons, John Walton answered the ‘phone and asked him how the trip to Luton had gone. “Pretty quiet down there, sir,” replied Andy.

  “I’ll get Alice for you,” John Walton said and put the ‘phone down. A few moments later Alice picked up the ‘phone and they were able to talk together.

  “Are you coming up with Lance and Dan next weekend?” she asked.

  “I hope to,” Andy replied, “but it will depend on duties and anything else that may be required.”

  Alice asked, “When will you know?”

  “We’ll know the duty roster by Tuesday but anything else may not have much warning,” he said. “I miss you, Alice. It seems as though we’ve been apart much longer than we have,” Andy continued.

  That pleased her and she cheekily asked, “What else, Andy?”

  He knew what she wanted him to say but he replied, “You know how I feel about you. This is a public place.” Alice let it go at that and they talked about going up to Alnwick to stay with Andy’s parents. The time was up quickly with the operator asking if they wished to extend. Andy said, “No,” and told Alice that he would call her again tomorrow and they set a time and he hung up the ‘phone. Andy went back into the bar and told his friends that he would be going up to see Alice, all being well. Margaret’s parents had invited Dan to stay in their home and the Waltons had extended a similar offer to Lance. They would go up in Lance’s car. Andy had to work out how he and Alice would get up to Alnwick since they wouldn’t get away from base until 17.00 hours. Their discussion was interrupted by some squadron airmen challenging them to a game of darts. They accepted the challenge.

  Back at RAF West Sanby, a ‘civilian’ driving a late model Wolseley pulled up at the main gate. He presented his identification and asked to speak with the CO. The identification showed him to be one Wing Commander Hamilton of MI5. Although officially retired from the RAF, he retained military rank and had been promoted on retirement. The duty policeman rang through to the CO’s house in officer’s married quarters. After speaking to him he handed the telephone to Hamilton. In view of the incidents of the last two days, Hamilton had decided he needed to talk to people on site. He had received a call from Air Vice-Marshall Denby telling of the latest incident and Hamilton couldn’t help smiling when he heard of Corporal Hill’s involvement. Now, with Denby’s permission, he wanted to talk to both young Andy Hill and Jamie Rogerson. The CO knew of the attempted hijack but not about Jamie Rogerson and Hamilton didn’t tell him. It was arranged for him to be a guest in the Officers’ Mess and Hamilton was given instructions on how to get there. Hamilton knew his wife was disappointed at him not being home for the weekend but it couldn’t be helped.

  It was well after midnight when the Penny Jane came up the channel into the Parfleet St Peter’ harbour. Walmar and Berin had agreed to say that they had put the visitor ashore at Cleethorpes at his request. That would explain his non-return. After tying up they unloaded the fish that they had caught and put them in the small cold store in Walmar’s shed. They would transfer them to the main cold store in the morning. Walmar said goodnight to Berin and headed for home where he would have a late supper before going to bed. No doubt Penny would hear him and come down and sit with him while he ate. He enjoyed those quiet intimate moments of them being together in the warmth of the kitchen. She would bring him up to date about their children and any other home news. He would listen happily and savour those moments. Walmar thought himself to be a very fortunate man. Back at the flat, Berin had other thoughts. On the Monday he had to go to Coventry to carry out the instructions he had received. There would be a package for him to pick up at the post office in Coventry. This time he would not be using Walmar’s van. Berin wondered when he would be going back home to Russia. It would be good to see Leningrad again and visit his parents. He headed for bed and sleep.

  ***

  It was 08.00 hours on Saturday (8th) and Colonel Kharkov was having breakfast with the Consul-General in the Russian Consulate in Manchester. He was feeling very pleased. A signal had come in during the night to say that ‘John Matheson’ had been picked up successfully and was on his way back to Russia in a Russian nuclear submarine. Once again it had been a successful operation in stealing British secrets. There was a knock at the door and Major Garasov entered. The Consul-General waved him to sit at the table with them and point to the food and hot drinks on the buffet. Garasov helped himself to an Earl Grey tea, which he was partial to, and joined the others at the breakfast table. He had already eaten. The men spoke on the current affairs in Britain and the success of the dinner the previous evening. It had brought trade opportunities for Russian goods as well as the chance to obtain technology from industries not linked to defence. They did not discuss the espionage roles of consulate staff. At the end of breakfast the men went their different ways. Garasov went down to his office and studied the papers laid out on his desk. His assistant knocked and entered with the Daily Express and the folder with newspaper cuttings. On page two was a report of a daring attempted hijack of a RAF truck delivering equipment to a base in Lincolnshire. The article gave lurid details of the struggle and the way the airmen repelled the would-be hijackers, ending in the death of one of the hijackers when driven over by a car. There was a photograph of the three airmen standing by their truck being interviewed by police. Garasov’s assistant opened the file to a photograph taken earlier in the month when another hijack was foiled in Yorkshire. He pointed to one man seen in both of the photographs. “Get me the file on the RAF personnel on the Red Hawk programme,” Garasov said. The man nodded and went to a filing cabinet and pulled it out. He turned the pages until he saw the photograph of Corporal Hill.

  “What is an administrative corporal doing delivering equipment?” he asked.

  Garasov replied, “That is what I would like to know. He is obviously more than that. Create a file on him. See what you can find out. If it is who I think it is then he is not just an administrative corporal.”

  “Yes, sir,” replied his assistant.

  Garasov continued, “If he was on that truck then the equipment could be related to Red Hawk. Who was trying to hijack it and why? If the truck was at Peterborough where had it come from if it was on its way to Lincolnshire? It could only be Davis Aviation. Our information was that the equipment was due to leave Luton on Monday. See what you can find out.”

  “Yes, Major,” was the reply and his assistant left the office.

  Similarly, at breakfast tables in Corbridge and Alnwick, the article and photograph were the main topic of discussion. Alice was both worried and proud. The names of the airmen were not mentioned in the article but she knew it was Andy in the photograph. “Quite an athlete and good reflexes,” said John Walton, “jumping onto the bonnet of an accelerating car to avoid being run down!” Alice remembered the park in Morpeth but said nothing.

  Margaret Hill was saying to her husband, “That must be our Andy. What was he doing riding in that truck instead of getting the train?” Her voice sounded anxious.

  ‘Tony’ Hill said, “Now, Margaret, there’s no point in getting upset. The lad’s fine. Besides, the armed forces will often give you duties that are not strictly in your trade. Let’s just wait until he ‘phones us and we can clarify it then.” To himself he thought, “Andy, lad, you’re in a rough game when people get k
illed — and it’s supposed to be peace-time,” and he said a quiet prayer for his son’s safety.

  In Coventry, Eddy Dennis and his wife, Nellie, were having a late breakfast. She had cooked him sausages and eggs with tomatoes and fried bread. It would be followed by toast and marmalade. Nellie was worried about her man. Since he returned home he wasn’t his usual relaxed self after a job and he seemed distant. It wasn’t like him. They had always been close. She thought that she would get him to see the doctor if he was still like it on Monday. Nellie thought that she would get him to have a good rest over the weekend. She would cook him his favourite dinner and see if he improved in his manner. Maybe she would go into the cathedral and light a candle for him.